Brooks eager to show his skills
Senior likely to be playing multiple positions for Bruins
St. Patrick-St. Vincent High head football coach Lane Hawkins projects that his team has the kind of speed that can be dangerous.
“We want to get our guys the ball in space,” he said. “This year, if we can get past that second line, the linebackers, it’s going to be a track meet. We just want them to get into the secondary.”
One of those players that Hawkins has in mind is Bobby Brooks, the returning running back and defensive back. Brooks showed plenty of promise the last three seasons but is ready to turn the corner (no pun intended) as a senior.
Hawkins is hoping to move Brooks around the field on offense — as a running back, slot receiver and a typical wide receiver. Brooks is excited about that role.
“I think it should be good if I can move positions and show my versatility,” he said.
The Bruins are still waiting on word from the California Interscholastic Federation about when football may start. The season was delayed from the fall into December and January, but a major spike in coronavirus cases moved most counties into a stay-at-home order. Also, the California Department of Public Health placed football in the orange tier, and most counties still in the most restrictive purple tier.
Even though St. Pat’s has not started official practice, the Bruins conditioned all summer, fall and started up again in January. Brooks said the workouts have been beneficial.
“As a team, we’ve bonded really well,” he said. “You really have to love the game, especially since we don’t know if we’re going to have a season. Everyone has kept a good attitude. I know guys that are starting to give up, but not on our team.”
Brooks said colleges like Eastern Washington and Western Ore
gon have shown interest in him. His 40-yard dash time is about 4.5 seconds, and he’s grown about two inches since he was a junior and added about 10 pounds, Brooks added.
Hawkins is confident that if college coaches see Brooks in real games this spring, the interest will pick up. Hawkins thinks Brooks will play defensive back in college.
“He’s a game-changer with the ball in his hands,” the coach said. “He can lay a good hit on someone on defense and can change the tenure of the game. He has a chance to star on both sides of the ball for us.”
Hawkins said he plans to use multiple running backs again, even though Brooks will be one of the top ones. Hawkins likened him to former NFL standout Darren Sproles, who played for the Chargers, Saints and Eagles.
“It’s still likely to be running back by committee,” he said. “We’ll also use Bobby in the slot or as a wide receiver, so that teams can’t defend him in just one area.”
If the name Brooks sounds familiar, his dad is former Oakland Raiders linebacker Bobby Brooks Sr., an assistant coach at St. Pat’s.
“It’s been cool having my dad out there,” the younger Brooks said. “I think of him more as a coach and less than a dad on the field.”
The St. Pat’s senior has run the 100, 200 and 4-by100 relay for the track team in the past but said he’ll concentrate on football this year.
Hawkins said he is still optimistic there will be some version of a football season this year.
“There are a lot of moving pieces,” he said. “We’re exploring so many options to give these student-athletes a chance to play.”